Lib-Dems in turmoil over coalition with Cameron

Nick Clegg said there would be 'no backroom deals' with the David Cameron' sTories

The Liberal Democrats today faced a possible split over plans to work with David Cameron as an opinion poll pointed to a hung Parliament.

The Sun/YouGov survey's three point lead for the Tories over Labour — the narrowest gap yet between the two parties — suggested the Lib-Dems could hold the balance of power after the election.

But as they gathered for their spring conference in Birmingham, leader Nick Clegg tried to head off warnings from his party's Left wing that they would never tolerate a coalition or cooperation with the Conservatives.

Mr Clegg said there would be "no backroom deals" with the Tories, adding that the public were tired of the "same old Tweedledum and Tweedledee" politics.

However, as he prepared to set out his four key "tests" for co-operation with Mr Cameron or Gordon Brown, Mr Clegg hinted that he was ready to work with whichever party emerged with most seats at the election.

"If a party has got more support and has got a clean mandate from the British people than any other party — even if they don't have an absolute majority, I just think we live in a democracy.

That party has got the moral right to seek to govern, either on its own or with others," he said.

The Sun/YouGov daily tracker poll put the Conservatives on 37 per cent (no change), Labour on 34 per cent (up two) and the Liberal Democrats on 17 per cent (unchanged). The Lib-Dems traditionally increase their vote in an election campaign.

But there was confusion in the party about whether any deal would be subject to the "triple lock" imposed in 1998 on Paddy Ashdown when he mooted a coalition with Labour.

Under Lib-Dem rules, Mr Clegg would need to hold a special conference if he failed to secure support from three quarters of his MPs and the party's federal executive for any plan to support the Tories or Labour.

A party spokesman confirmed to The Times that "checks have already been made on the availability of a variety of venues" for such an emergency meeting in May.

Steve Webb, the party's work and pensions spokesman, said: "The leader cannot simply decide this himself, that is what the triple lock is all about.